Note: Blog posts bit out of date due to little or no internet connection!
Here we are in a cloud forest (jungle up in the mountains!) in Mindo. Ruby will write about our adventures here in the next post, for now a bit from me....
After a nature and bird fulfilled few days, we were thinking to move on but not sure where to, and feeling a bit frustrated by not knowing. When we set out on this journey we decided we wanted to make the most of the time and space we have to listen to our intuition and make decisions from that place. Yet here Jamie and I were having a conversation all from the head, weighing up cost, ease of travel, comfort and not getting anywhere so we took some time.
As I sat down on the swinging bed by the white water river rushing past our little cabana, I noticed a white horse grazing on the other side. I settled into my meditation and opened my eyes, the horse had stopped grazing and was looking directly at me. Through out all of the 30mins or so I spent meditating, he dipped his head and averted his gaze only once to scratch his leg. The rest of the time stood stationary facing me directly. I've never felt such a powerful connection with an animal before. It was as if we were having a conversation albeit a silent one. He reminded me to look for insights in the silence, in the unexpected quiet corners where feelings are stronger than thoughts...
This profound 'conversation' spoke to me about the power of intention and how the state i am in will emanate out into the world and attract like minded states. We all see what we want or are able to see through our conditioning and choices. There are many different layers of reality in any one moment. In our morning conversations there was hardy any flow or trust that something bigger than us may also be at play. We were thinking like tourists, how can we get what we want (or think we want) with the most ease and less cost by trying to control or plan for all the variables.
What I do know is that when I'm mostly in my head trying to maximise my self interest, I stop seeing the beauty around all around me and interact with the world in a very different way and that has a very real impact on both how I experience my journey and any outcomes that arise along the way.
I love how Satish kumar talks of travelling through life as a pilgrim coming from a mindset of service and seeing the earth and all life as sacred and interrelated, rather than the self centred and self seeking tourist mindset. In a nutshell contribution rather than consumption.
For me this necessitates slowing down, taking time to listen and feel what is needed and then trust that, even if my head doubts it and then go with the flow.
The guy running the guest house had witnessed it too and was visibly moved at breakfast. Without us asking or even talking about our reasons for thinking of moving on, he offered us to stay for a couple more days while what's next for us emerges, at a much reduced rate, which was one of the 'logical' reasons why we were thinking of moving on.
Stepping back into flow feels good. I'm sure it'll be a dance of in and out of flow as we journey along. For now I'm very grateful to that beautiful white horse across the river for helping me to experience in such a a full way, connection and flow and am quietly hopeful this will help guide me back next time I'm off course.